Suzuki Across/GSX 250F

[Gibbo89]

hi kiwi bikers,

i'm currently looking for my first 250cc bike. i have seen a suzuki across/gsx f in a dealers in christchurch. its 1993 with about 11,000k's on the clock. has anyone ever owned one of these bikes and could recommend it as a first bike? this bike is appealing because of the storage it has where the fuel tank is meant to be. (which fits a helmet). this is handy for me as the bike is for commuting.

basically, i just want some feedback on the bike.

cheers.

[quickbuck]

Not a bad little machine.
With 11k on it I would say it is a fresh import.

Ensure the dealer has ironed out all the problems associated with sitting for a while.
Fuel leaking from the carbs into the engine can be a problem with them (and any bike), as the seat seals dry out.
Ethanol in fuel can do this too....

Make sure it has some new tyres on it.
There may be lots of tread on the originals, but they will be plastic by now.

Check brake disc wear. If there is a lip on the front disc, then I would suggest it has done more than 11k....

Also with these, make sure the fuel flap, and all the other tricky bits work well, without a second attempt.

As for the performance itself:
A little more sedate than the GSXR brother, but same motor, and perfect for city commuting, as you are aware, as it has the helmet tank.

Oh, you say it is your first bike... how much riding have you actually done?
There is a lot of expencive plastic on these..... So dropping it won't do much good at all..

If you have off road experience, then all good...

[mattian]

Can't go wrong with a Suzuki. Good reliable brand, and 11,000 ks on the clock is nothing for a second hand bike. Almost seems like not enough ks on the clock considering its a 1993 model. Must have been sitting in storage for a while??

[quickbuck]

Must have been sitting in storage for a while??

It will shock you as to what actually happens to them in thier home land.....
The Japanese buy them to look at mostly....

[Gibbo89]

Not a bad little machine.
With 11k on it I would say it is a fresh import.

Ensure the dealer has ironed out all the problems associated with sitting for a while.
Fuel leaking from the carbs into the engine can be a problem with them (and any bike), as the seat seals dry out.
Ethanol in fuel can do this too....

Make sure it has some new tyres on it.
There may be lots of tread on the originals, but they will be plastic by now.

Check brake disc wear. If there is a lip on the front disc, then I would suggest it has done more than 11k....

Also with these, make sure the fuel flap, and all the other tricky bits work well, without a second attempt.

As for the performance itself:
A little more sedate than the GSXR brother, but same motor, and perfect for city commuting, as you are aware, as it has the helmet tank.

Oh, you say it is your first bike... how much riding have you actually done?
There is a lot of expencive plastic on these..... So dropping it won't do much good at all..

If you have off road experience, then all good...

the bike itself is in ok condition, not perfect. there is a scratch on one part of the fairing. if it was immaculate then i would be more worried about it. i have ridden mopeds for the last 4 years. 3 years on a wee jap one. then the last year on a bigger one. i've never come off at speed so i dont think id be too nooby hoping on one (i hope!)

thanks for all your tips on things to look ouit for. id get my uncle to have a look at the things you mentioned.

the guy at the shop said that someone owned it here in chch or nz and it sat in a shed/garage for a few years with almost no if any use at all, which helps explain the k's i guess.

[quickbuck]

the bike itself is in ok condition, not perfect. there is a scratch on one part of the fairing. if it was immaculate then i would be more worried about it. i have ridden mopeds for the last 4 years. 3 years on a wee jap one. then the last year on a bigger one. i've never come off at speed so i dont think id be too nooby hoping on one (i hope!)

thanks for all your tips on things to look ouit for. id get my uncle to have a look at the things you mentioned.

the guy at the shop said that someone owned it here in chch or nz and it sat in a shed/garage for a few years with almost no if any use at all, which helps explain the k's i guess.

Yes, that could be right re K's.
If you have ridden scooters for a few years, then I need not fear so much, as you already know the rules of the road.

One thing I am conscious of is this scenario:
Guy gets a 250.
Never ridden before, apart from the MTB to School.
Never been on the road before, on anything with an engine.
Tears off on a bike covered in plastic that is capable of a 0 to 100 time better than most sedans (even the V8 ones), and a 1/4 mile time to match...

And it all ends in tears because he forgets to put his feet down at the lights, or some other random event........

[Gibbo89]

Yes, that could be right re K's.
If you have ridden scooters for a few years, then I need not fear so much, as you already know the rules of the road.

One thing I am conscious of is this scenario:
Guy gets a 250.
Never ridden before, apart from the MTB to School.
Never been on the road before, on anything with an engine.
Tears off on a bike covered in plastic that is capable of a 0 to 100 time better than most sedans (even the V8 ones), and a 1/4 mile time to match...

And it all ends in tears because he forgets to put his feet down at the lights, or some other random event........

yeah, completely understand where your coming from. i guess people see 250cc as being small and what not. i'd be careful as hell driving one of those wee machines. :blink:

[quickbuck]

yeah, completely understand where your coming from. i guess people see 250cc as being small and what not. i'd be careful as hell driving one of those wee machines. :blink:

Good on you.....

Thing is, many say they are small and gutless....
They are to as point.
They are small in stature, and have no where near the power of a big bike... sure.

The comment usually comes from people who want to step up to a mid sized bike to justify it to their parents, partner, friends, themselves....

The thing is, after many years of riding bigger bikes, and actually learning how to ride better, I can say there isn't anything lacking about a 250... apart from leg room.
Even then, some are actually okay.

Take care in the Christchurch traffic, I know it can be a nightmare. I used to live down there years ago, and can't imagine it has improved any.

[Gibbo89]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-287849989.htm

any thoughts on this bike? if it went for the minimum of 2.5k, that seems ok? barring an inspection from a mechanic.

question: is it better to take the bike to a mechanic in chch or get an aa report/check type thing?

[quickbuck]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-287849989.htm

any thoughts on this bike? if it went for the minimum of 2.5k, that seems ok? barring an inspection from a mechanic.

question: is it better to take the bike to a mechanic in chch or get an aa report/check type thing?
Firstly, don't bother with the AA report, unless you want to know about all the scratches on it.
Take it to a Bike Mechanic.... especially a shop you know well, or intend to use in the future. Tell them what you are up to.

2500 sounds reasonable enough... Remember you will have to get a WOF, and buy some Rego on top of that....
If anything needs doing for the WOF you will have to pay.
Looks reasonable enough though.... and I would say Trevor Pierce Motorcycles would have looked after it, even though they are mainly Yamaha's...

[Gibbo89]

Firstly, don't bother with the AA report, unless you want to know about all the scratches on it.
Take it to a Bike Mechanic.... especially a shop you know well, or intend to use in the future. Tell them what you are up to.

2500 sounds reasonable enough... Remember you will have to get a WOF, and buy some Rego on top of that....
If anything needs doing for the WOF you will have to pay.
Looks reasonable enough though.... and I would say Trevor Pierce Motorcycles would have looked after it, even though they are mainly Yamaha's...

cheers, that makes the AA sound a bit lame... lol.
the seller says he will sell it with a wof before the sale is completed. even if it goes for 2.5k. I'd just want some trouble free motoring when i first get it. if i got stung with some hefty bills as soon as i got it. the bike would have to sit in the garage till i save up enough for it to be repaired. :gob:

the dude at just motorcycles said some dude bought a cheap zxr off trademe, took it in to a mechanic after he bought it... wheeled it out of the mechanics with a $1400 bill to pay. :shit:

[blackdog]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-287849989.htm

any thoughts on this bike? if it went for the minimum of 2.5k, that seems ok? barring an inspection from a mechanic.

question: is it better to take the bike to a mechanic in chch or get an aa report/check type thing?

looks tidy enough. i think $2500 is enough for it tho, i def wouldnt pay any more unless it was absolutely pristine/immaculate.

and listen to qb...aa= a waste of time, get a mc tech to check it out 4 ya

[quickbuck]

cheers, that makes the AA sound a bit lame... lol.
They don't really like bikes too much..... :whistle:




......wheeled it out of the mechanics with a $1400 bill to pay. :shit: Yes, I heard about that case... Or, one very much like it...

[Gibbo89]

anyone got an opinion on the best cruiser that's a 250, the 'best' meaning one that perfroms well (reasonably quick etc). for example the kawasaki eliminator i heard was pretty quick and grunty for a 250 cruiser?

i don't just want to rule out the other styles of bikes. the yamaha scorpio seems to have some pretty good reviews too. would they handle speeds of 110 - 120 ish?

cheers guys and gals.

[quickbuck]

anyone got an opinion on the best cruiser that's a 250, the 'best' meaning one that perfroms well (reasonably quick etc). .

Ummm,
A bit of an Oxymoron that..... Cruiser and quick??

Fair enough you don't want to rule out other styles.....
That is the best thing I have heard all day. Far too many narrow their focus to what looks good in a magazine, without riding what suits them.


Now, the best thing to do is go into a shop, tell them you are really unsure of the style of bike that suits you best, and the only real way you are going to find out is ride them all. Don't be forced by a salesman who wants to sell you the bike that has been sitting the longest! You are the buyer, and it will be YOUR bike, not His/Hers.

As far as Cruisers go, I'm not actually sure to be honest. Only one I have ridden (and I have ridden about 70+ bikes) was a Suzuki Desperado (400 Hardly look alike...)..... Says it all really.

[Gibbo89]

was having another wee squizz at trademe, came across this bike:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-290640965.htm

seems reasonably priced with the k's etc. specially coming from a dealers. any thoughts on the price and bike itself (specially as a first bike?). i know it similar to the zxr but maybe a bit more torque down low?

any opinions/thoughts would be handy... cheers guys.

[quickbuck]

was having another wee squizz at trademe, came across this bike:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-290640965.htm

seems reasonably priced with the k's etc. specially coming from a dealers. any thoughts on the price and bike itself (specially as a first bike?). i know it similar to the zxr but maybe a bit more torque down low?

any opinions/thoughts would be handy... cheers guys.

It is essentially a re-badged Suzuki Bandit.

The Balius is a very good bike. Ideal for the taller rider from memory....
The price looks pretty sharp too.... Take it for a ride, and see what you think.

[Gibbo89]

It is essentially a re-badged Suzuki Bandit.

The Balius is a very good bike. Ideal for the taller rider from memory....
The price looks pretty sharp too.... Take it for a ride, and see what you think.

cheers, yeah i thought it seemed like a good price (maybe even slightly negotiable..:innocent:)

being a 1992 model etc, would the maintenance and reliability of the balius be good etc? low maintenance is handy. and of course, reliability.

[quickbuck]

cheers, yeah i thought it seemed like a good price (maybe even slightly negotiable..:innocent:)

being a 1992 model etc, would the maintenance and reliability of the balius be good etc? low maintenance is handy. and of course, reliability.
all Japanese bikes have a high degree of inherent reliability.
The reliability is maintained if the machine has had regular maintenance, and it hasn't has anything broken in a crash....

as this example is from a Motorcycle Hire Business, i would have a look over the maintenance receipts and records.
Any hire business worth its salt will have these... Otherwise, how do they know what has been done to what bike.. Not to mention they will be claiming GST off all the maintenance...

Look for things out of the ordinary... Like: Engine Side Cover Replaced, Foot Peg Hanger Replaced etc in the records...

New Chain, Sprockets, Tyres, Oil are all normal......
They are relatively low maintenance... well, as low as you can get for a motorcycle.

Hope this helps.

[Gibbo89]

all Japanese bikes have a high degree of inherent reliability.
The reliability is maintained if the machine has had regular maintenance, and it hasn't has anything broken in a crash....

as this example is from a Motorcycle Hire Business, i would have a look over the maintenance receipts and records.
Any hire business worth its salt will have these... Otherwise, how do they know what has been done to what bike.. Not to mention they will be claiming GST off all the maintenance...

Look for things out of the ordinary... Like: Engine Side Cover Replaced, Foot Peg Hanger Replaced etc in the records...

New Chain, Sprockets, Tyres, Oil are all normal......
They are relatively low maintenance... well, as low as you can get for a motorcycle.

Hope this helps.

thanks man...

i emailed them and asked what it has had done to it. they said the following has been done:

Steering head bearings
> Front Brake Piston and seals
> New Tyres
> New Chain and Sprockets
> New Battery
> Carbs dismantled and cleaned
> Tappets adjusted / spark plugs replaced
> Rear suspension dismantled / lubed.

and was serviced front to back when it 1st came into nz 18 ish months ago.

[quickbuck]

thanks man...

i emailed them and asked what it has had done to it. they said the following has been done:

Steering head bearings
> Front Brake Piston and seals
> New Tyres
> New Chain and Sprockets
> New Battery
> Carbs dismantled and cleaned
> Tappets adjusted / spark plugs replaced
> Rear suspension dismantled / lubed.

and was serviced front to back when it 1st came into nz 18 ish months ago.
All looks pretty standard... Even the steering head bearings.
What can happen to steering head bearings is that a bike is left sitting on it's side stand for months on end, in the same position.
Then the lubrication gets washed off and corrosion forms... When the handle bars are turned for the first time... well, lets just say they don't perform like they are supposed to.
They become notchy, and that never goes away.

One thing missing off the list is Fork Seals... Not saying that they blow all the time, just typical on a bike that is imported and needs that sort of maintenance....
They may have been lucky in this case.

The seller sounds pretty honest to me....
Hope this helps.

[Gibbo89]

cheers QB. you've been more than helpful. i'll go have a look at it today i hope.